Gladius is a Latin term for sword. It is nowadays used to designate a short sword, 60 cm long, 6 to 7 cm wide, and about 1.4 kg, used by Roman legionaries from the 3rd century BC. JC. It was derived from the Celtiberian sword and designed primarily to deliver powerful thrusting strikes.
Possibly an evolution of the Greek xyphos, it is a weapon of size but especially of thrust comprising a broad and robust blade with two cutting edges separated by a rib. The origin of this short sword dates back to the 14th century BC. AD, when it was made of bronze. Iron weapons appear from the 7th century BC. J.-C..
It was for the legionnaire to push his opponent with his shield (the scutum) to unbalance him and inflict a mortal blow. Over time, the weapon lengthens to resemble the spatha of the horsemen, a long sword allowing to face enemies always better protected by thick and sophisticated breastplates. During the Middle Ages, it looked more and more like the sword, before being replaced by it.
The Iberian sword, or "hispano gladio" is the basic weapon of the Roman infantryman at the time of the great conquests. Its direct evolution is the spatha, which is simply an Iberian sword with a blade twice as long, and ending in a very pronounced point.